


A Bouquet of Gardenias

by redyarns



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Florist!Luka, Flowers, Hibiscus Rose, Language of Flowers, Letters, Luka loves Adrien and Marinette, Marigolds, Oblivious!Luka, Secret Admirer, Shy Marinette, Slow Burn, Smitten!Luka, They're all like in their early twenties, a lot of flowers are here, and Luka's the one who delivers them, carnations, daffodils, he's in love, in which Adrien and Marinette send each other flowers and love letters, polyamorous, poor luka, scratch that they're all smitten, shy Luka, shy adrien, shy all of them omg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-13 21:24:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15373635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redyarns/pseuds/redyarns
Summary: Dear Marinette,I remember when I first read Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. I admit, I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic, but even I couldn’t help but think that the way Romeo described Juliet was too much. But now I understand - maybe to others, it seems senseless and a little silly, but looking at you, all I can see is how lovely you are.I love your smile, I love your laugh, and I love your freckles. They’re like tiny little stars, don’t you think? I bet I could trace constellations with them; Aquarius, the Ursa Major, Virgo. Take these hibiscus roses as a symbol of that - look, I even did a little research! It was a little confusing to look at all those flower options, but I’m certain I found the purrfect one to match your beauty, my lady.Forever your bumbling fool, Chat Noir





	A Bouquet of Gardenias

_Dear Marinette,_

 

_Did you know that when you stand at just the right angle, I can see the sunlight shining in your eyes? They’re the bluest things I’ve ever seen - it’s why I send these bluebells to you. They’re beautiful, just like your sapphire gaze._

 

_From your secret admirer, Chat Noir_

 

Luka bit his lip from smiling as he read the short but sweet note attached to the current fresh bouquet of bluebells he was supposed to be delivering. Instead, he sighed a little dreamily over the carefully crafted wording, finding the gesture to be romantic. The letter was even handwritten, instead of printed like most clients did - the gentle sloping of the words somehow made it more sincere, more heartfelt.

 

Luka wasn’t the one who managed the counter - he was too awkward for that and it often ended with him causing the customer to go red from his insistent compliments and flirting - so he had no idea who this Chat Noir person was, but wow, the guy sure knew how to make someone swoon for him.

 

He observed the address the flowers and letter was to be sent to, and after double checking, he walked up the brick steps and ringed the doorbell once. The little building was charming - it was on the edge of the busy streets of Paris, so there was less noise there, and more fresh air weaved in by the lovely citrus-y scent from the clementine tree growing close by.

 

When the door swung open, Luka admittedly nearly tripped over his own feet because holy _shit_ , what on earth? Indeed, this Chat fellow was right - because staring at him in slight confusion were the bluest eyes Luka’s ever seen, pretty pinks lips parted as she hesitantly gave a greeting, her round cheeks blooming a soft red when he didn’t answer for a solid minute.

 

Mentally, he (sort of) pulled himself together, and somehow managed to wrangle on his most charming smile. “Mademoiselle Marinette?”

 

“Yes,” she stuttered, eyes wide and darting between the flowers he still had clutched in his arms and his face. “Uh, what’s - “

 

“Flowers delivered from Melody Gardens,” he interrupted, feeling a little hot around his neck as he handed her the large bouquet of flowers. “Sent by a secret admirer.”

 

She squeaked.

 

Luka’s normally calm demeanor was rattled, and though he still smiled, his palms were sweaty and he could feel his own cheeks begin to warm. He took a step back, nearly missing the next step and falling back. He grinned a little sheepishly, before giving a little wave and jogging back to his car and practically throwing himself into the seat.

 

Luka watched a little breathlessly (which admittedly was more to do with the lovely, dazed looking girl still hanging on her porch step rather than his sporadic running) as Marinette blinked slowly, her gorgeous blue eyes wide as she lifted the little card up to her face and read what was written. The rosey blush in her cheeks became a full on crimson, and her lips fell into a little ‘o’ as she became flustered as she read.

 

Feeling a little lightheaded, and also a little resentful that it wasn’t him that she was blushing over, Luka jammed in the key and drove away.

 

“You’re being ridiculous,” Juleka immediately said after he had spent a good ten minutes babbling on about what had happened. She jabbed at her bunch of roses with a little more force than necessary, snipping off the thorns before moving on to the next. “Don’t give me that look. Love at first sight isn’t a thing, dear brother of mine. So you like her - you know that she’s kind of off limits, right? The client was pretty determined to get the flowers to her.”

 

Luka’s face burned, and he sighed. “Yeah, I know.” He fumbled sadly with a small bunch of daisies. “She’s just really pretty.”

 

Juleka eyed him a little weirdly, and honestly, Luka didn’t blame her too much. He wasn’t usually like this - he was all smoothness and calm. It took quite a lot to catch him off guard, and in all honesty, Marinette knocked him flat off his feet and onto his back without him even realizing what had happened.

 

This Chat Noir person was a lucky guy, Luka thought to himself as he wandered around the shop and did a quick mental recount of the certain flowers they had. Marinette was beautiful, and Luka was sulking that he didn’t manage to get to know her first.

 

Oh well. C’est la vie.

 

Of course, that’s when fate decided it absolutely hated him and did the worst thing to him _ever_ \- the door opened, the wind chimes jingling cheerfully as a sign, and Luka raised his head, ready to greet the customer, only to stop and nearly knock off the vase of calla lilies beside him with his elbow in his sudden fumbling, because oh my _god_.

 

There was sunshine in his hair and even more so in his bright smile. The green of his eyes were enchanting and pulling Luka in, and dear god, his lips were so pretty and pink and Luka needed to sit down before he died from the overload of beautiful people in only one day.

 

“Welcome to Melody Gardens,” Juleka spoke when the silence reached past the point of awkward and the (gorgeous) boy’s smile began to falter. “How may I help you?”

 

The boy’s smile came back full force, and he approached the desk closer. “I came in yesterday, I uh, I sent an order of bluebells for someone special.” His cheeks blazed a bright pink at his words, and Luka resisted the urge to coo - how _adorable_.

 

“Actually, my brother delivered them just a few minutes ago,” Juleka smiled (evilly - that little brat was in so much trouble) at Luka, who someone managed to pull on an easy looking smile.

 

He held his hands behind his back (to hide how shaky they were) and said, “the ever romantic Chat Noir, I presume?”

 

The boy nodded, his face flushed but his eyes eager. He stepped closer, and Luka resisted the urge to take a step back, his whole body tense as he wrestled back the urge to blush or do something else as equally mortifying. “Did, did she like it? Oh, um, sorry, I’m Adrien by the way. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

 

The laugh that left Luka’s lips somehow didn’t tremble. Because it wasn’t fair - Marinette was gorgeous, with her sparkling ocean eyes and her hesitant but equally pretty smile. She was dainty, with delicate features and round cheeks and such a cute blush that made Luka want to shower her in pink camellias. And this boy, Chat Noir - Adrien - had the brightest green eyes that Luka had ever seen. They were like the first sprouts in spring, coming out of the thawing winter ground, and his smile was so bright it was like Luka was soaking up the sunshine that literally emitted from the boy’s grin. They were both so beautiful, so cute, and Luka didn’t even know them but he was _so far gone_ it wasn’t even funny.

 

And it was absolutely bloody awful that Luka couldn’t do anything about it.

 

So he smiled, calm and playing on just the corners of his lips, posture relaxed while his hands shook fiercely behind his back. He looked at those eager, beautiful emerald eyes, and quietly, he said, “she adored the flowers. She’s a lucky girl.” He nodded towards Juleka, who was shamelessly listening in and had a disappointed look on her face. “If you want another order, my sister can take it.”

 

And it was mean of him, mortifying really, because Luka was anything but _cold_ \- yet he was and it was awful because wow Marinette and Adrien were so, _so_ pretty, and how could he even dream of having a chance with either of them when Adrien was so already bespotted by Marinette who in turn had been utterly charmed by the mysterious yet romantic Chat Noir?

 

Sullenly, he retreated further into the shop, and it was seriously dramatic of him, but he began tending to some striped carnations. ( _Wish I Could Be With You._ ) He pet their soft petals gently, and he touched them with great care, because whoever was in charge of Luka’s life was laughing at the obvious distress he was feeling.

 

There was a muffled goodbye, and with another tinkling of the wind chimes, Adrien had slipped out of the shop and was on his way to whatever he was going to do.

 

Luka poked his head out from the aisle and stared dreamily at the door.

 

“Pining,” Juleka stretched out the word as she trimmed the stems of a few roses.

 

Luka groaned. “I know.”

 

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

 

_Dear Marinette,_

 

_I remember when I first read Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. I admit, I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic, but even I couldn’t help but think that the way Romeo described Juliet was too much. But now I understand - maybe to others, it seems senseless and a little silly, but looking at you, all I can see is how lovely you are._

 

_I love your smile, I love your laugh, and I love your freckles. They’re like tiny little stars, don’t you think? I bet I could trace constellations with them; Aquarius, the Ursa Major, Virgo. Take these hibiscus roses as a symbol of that - look, I even did a little research! It was a little confusing to look at all those flower options, but I’m certain I found the purrfect one to match your beauty, my lady._

 

_Forever your bumbling fool, Chat Noir_

 

Luka’s hand clenched at the simple white card a little more forcefully than he did the last time he was in this situation - standing a mere ten steps from Marinette’s front door, the air around him filled with the scent of fresh flowers, his left arm a bouquet, and his heart clenching at the sweet words written.

 

He took a small breath, adjusted his hold on the hibiscus roses to be more comfortable in his arms, and walked up to the brick steps once more before buzzing the doorbell.

 

This time, the door opened more quickly, but the girl that answered him was just as beautiful as the last time Luka saw her. But then he could smell the flowers, the card held in his hand, and smiled at her as he handed the bouquet over, knowing he couldn’t bear to sit in the way between such a sweet relationship developing right in his hands. Adrien and Marinette would make a gorgeous, breathtaking couple, he knew. They’d make heads turn out of both awe and jealousy, and his stomach turned despite the fact that he _knew_ he had no right to claim any sort of romantic feelings for the both of them.

 

It was awful.

 

But his smile was calm, pulling up at the edge of his lips, and he said, “another delivery for you, mademoiselle Marinette. Chat Noir sends his affections.”

 

Her face was pink, lips slightly parted in surprise as she once again received the huge bundle of flowers from him before he gently placed the card in her hand.

 

“Do, um,” she stumbled, eyes reading the words quickly, cheeks becoming a lovely bright red that reminded Luka fiercely of a ladybug. “He - he said he did research. Do these hibiscus roses mean anything, uh, specific?”

 

Luka’s smile faltered, just the slightest, but thankfully, his voice didn’t crack when he muttered, “ _delicate beauty_. They mean _delicate beauty_.”

 

Her eyes were sparkling as she reread the card.

 

And Luka smiled, because wow she really was so pretty, even prettier when she looked on the cusp of falling into deep infatuation. He had to hand it to Adrien - the whole secret admirer thing was the most romantic thing he’s seen in his life, and the fact that Adrien went as far as to researching the meaning of said flowers only made it that much more meaningful. A little stupidly, he wishfully thought that maybe in a different universe those flowers were for _him_ , or he’d been the one to give them to Marinette and give her that incredible look of affection in her eyes.

 

However, this was not that universe, and instead Luka was stuck in a little something called reality, so he gave her a small smile before turning and starting back towards the car. He hadn’t taken even two steps before there was a sudden cry of, “wait!”

 

A hand tugged at Luka’s sleeve, and his honest surprise at the touch made him stumble heavily - he yelped, instinctively reaching out to tug Marinette closer to her to avoid her getting hurt, but that action instead steadied them, and Luka was horrified to find that when he stared into her deep blue eyes that were looking just as shocked as he felt, a heavy blush began to bloom on his cheeks.

 

He yanked back as if electrocuted, and took three large steps back, half-shouting apologies along the way.

 

“It’s okay!” Marinette squeaked, her face a bright pink and her hands clutching almost desperately at the bouquet and card. She ducks her head and shyly peeks up at him through her eyelashes and bangs, before quietly repeating, “it’s okay.”

 

Luka coughed, feeling his heart stutter - if he didn’t know any better, he’d say he was having a heart attack. It certainly felt like it. “Right. Yes. Did you need something, mademoiselle?”

 

At that, Marinette jumped, and an awkward blush burned brighter than before on her round cheeks as she fumbled and then thrust her hand out to him, causing him to become startled at the sudden action. It was a card, folded in half, a soft pink color with little white swirls marking the edges. Her voice was soft, eyes even softer as she said, “please, give this to him.”

 

And Luka knew he should refuse - he delivered flowers, he wasn’t a postal service. But goddamit, he took the card with a nod, and mentally cursed his weakness for her eyes.

 

“I, um, I’m guessing I can’t know what his name is?” Marinette asked, peeking at him from behind her bouquet with a curious gaze.

 

Luka smiled, finding her eagerness adorable. “I’m afraid so, love. Complete anonymity - but your Chat’s a good one, mademoiselle. He’s quite a romantic, isn’t he?”

 

“Oh,” she muttered. “I was hoping… well, can you describe him for me?”

 

Luka peered at her, contemplating her question. He could’ve said anything, he supposed - he could’ve gone on and on about his eyes, the very first breath of spring within them, how they glittered and went brighter whenever Adrien talked about her. Luka could’ve said something about his smile, how bright and lovely and _genuine_ it was, how the warmth of his voice and the soft affection made Luka feel both like soaring through the air and also drowning in the cold ocean.

 

But instead, he said, “a smitten idiot.”

 

Her eyes blinked once before she unexpectedly burst into laughter, shoulders shaking and a wide smile stretching across her lips. Oh god, Luka thought in a daze. Her laughter was _incredible_.

 

“Then, if I can’t know his name, can I know yours?”

 

The question seriously caught Luka off guard. He honestly wasn’t expecting it - he was just the delivery guy, the _flower_ guy. Most people found that to be the most boring thing in the world, and he gets it. Really, he does. So he doesn’t completely understand why Marinette was looking at him like that, eyes wide and sparkling, cheeks pink with some kind of emotion he couldn’t name, lips slightly parted as she waited for his answer.

 

(And he was stupid, because he’d callen Adrien a smitten idiot, but in reality _he_ was the smitten idiot - honestly, being so bespotted so quickly was bad enough, but he was enamoured with two people who were clearly destined for each other.)

 

(He felt like throwing a bunch of marigolds into life’s face, because it sucked ass right now.)

 

“I’m just the delivery boy, mademoiselle.” He said, because he couldn’t do this, he realized. He couldn’t get close to them, try to make them return his feelings, because that was so _fucking shitty_ when Adrien and Marinette were so made for each other - they were soulmates. He liked them, liked them so much it hurt like someone was digging a knife into his chest, but he was just like he said. Just the delivery boy.

 

So he kept his name with him, holding himself back, his smile distant and his eyes even more so.

 

The sparkle in her eyes dimmed, and she nodded.

 

“I’ll make sure he gets this,” Luka said, because he was still weak, and tucked the pink card into his pocket. He gave her a bland smile, one that he wasn’t proud of and found vaguely disgusting, before turning and speed-walking to the car so he could leave in case he did something stupid, like hold her hand or give her the dead leaves on the sidewalk because god he felt like those represented what he felt at the moment - stupidly, morbidly, obscenely _sad_.

 

“I - !”

 

He stopped, and looked at her, blinking in confusion as she rushed to him and awkwardly passed him a flower. He took the hibiscus rose, twirling it in his fingers, and looked at her with rising confusion as to what the heck she was doing.

 

Her face pink, she stuttered, “C-Chat Noir is really sweet… But I don’t know his name or yours, either.” Marinette peered at him with wide blue eyes, and although her voice was faltering, her gaze was determined. “I want to know them. Your names. So, please… Take this, and give him the card.”

 

His heart was thumping, and blood was rushing in his ears. He didn’t know what she was trying to say, but her voice was genuine and her eyes pleading, so he nodded.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetheart,” he could only say, and it was an honest to god mistake, but the word slipped out and both of them were bright red. Luka booked it to the car, slammed the door shut, and jammed in the key.

 

As he drove away, he swore he saw Marinette still standing there on the sidewalk, a single flower missing from her bouquet, and her eyes wistful as she watched him leave.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> it's poly, slowburn, and a heck of a lot of flowers
> 
> what more could you ask for? 
> 
> my tumblr: http://redyarns.tumblr.com/
> 
> EDIT: tumblr is a dumpster fire
> 
> twitter: https://twitter.com/redyarns_
> 
> instagram: http://instagram.com/redyarns_


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